Fiber optic lighting radial arrangement and method for forming the same

Abstract

An apparatus and method of manufacture is disclosed for a fiber optic lighting device. The fiber optic lighting device is formed by adhering fiber optic strands onto a backing material in a radial pattern from a centralized illumination receiving port within a perimeter of the backing material. The centralized illumination receiving port of the fiber optic strands is where the illuminating source would transfer the illuminations into the fiber optic strands. The fiber optic strands can include a surface finish, which enhances the intensity of the light emitting from the fiber optic strands. The fiber optic lighting device can provide a non-linear sheared edge along the entire perimeter of the backing material.

1. A radially arranged fiber optic panel, the panel comprising:
 a planar backing member, the planar backing member comprising a planar surface and a perimeter,  
 at least one centralized illumination receiving position positioned at least one of proximate the perimeter and within the perimeter of the planar backing member,  
 a plurality of fiber optic strands coupled to at least one side of the planar backing member,  
 wherein each fiber optic strand comprises an illumination receiving port and an illumination exiting port, and  
 wherein the plurality of fiber optic strands are arranged unbundled, proximately parallel, and supported along a majority of the length by the planar backing member, and at least partially circumferentially about the centralized illumination receiving position with the illumination receiving port proximate the centralized illumination receiving position,  
 the illumination exiting port positioned at least one of:  
 1) projecting towards the perimeter of the planar backing member, and  
 2) proximate the perimeter of the planar backing member, and an ornamental encapsulant.  
 
   
   
     2. The radially arranged fiber optic panel of  claim 1 , the planar backing member comprising at least one of:
 a) a flexible material,  
 b) a rigid material,  
 c) an opaque material,  
 d) a translucent material,  
 e) a non-reflective material  
 f) a reflective material,  
 g) a luminescent material, and  
 h) a colored material.  
 
   
   
     3. The radially arranged fiber optic panel of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of fiber optic strands further comprising a surface, wherein the surface has been treated to include deformations. 
   
   
     4. The radially arranged fiber optic panel of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fiber optic strands further comprising a surface that has been treated to include deformations. 
   
   
     5. The radially arranged fiber optic panel of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of fiber optic strands are arranged in a plurality of radially arranged layers. 
   
   
     6. The radially arranged fiber optic panel of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fiber optic strands are arranged in a plurality of radially arranged layers. 
   
   
     7. The radially arranged fiber optic panel of  claim 1 , the radially arranged fiber optic panel further comprising at least one illumination source, wherein the illumination receiving ports of the fiber optic strands are positioned at least partially circumferentially about the illumination source. 
   
   
     8. The radially arranged fiber optic panel of  claim 7 , the radially arranged fiber optic panel further comprising at least one illumination source, the at least one illumination source illuminating at least two colors. 
   
   
     9. The radially arranged fiber optic panel of  claim 7 , the radially arranged fiber optic panel further comprising a light diffuser located proximate the at least one centralized illumination receiving position. 
   
   
     10. A radially arranged fiber optic panel, the panel comprising:
 a planar backing member, the planar backing member comprising a planar surface and a perimeter,  
 at least one centralized illumination receiving position positioned within the perimeter of the planar backing member,  
 a plurality of fiber optic strands coupled to at least one side of the planar backing member and supported along a majority of the length by the planar backing member,  
 wherein each fiber optic strand comprises an illumination receiving port and an illumination exiting port,  
 wherein the plurality of fiber optic strands are arranged projecting radially (and greater than 180 degrees) and substantially about a single plane from the centralized illumination receiving position with the illumination receiving port proximate the centralized illumination receiving position,  
 the illumination exiting ports positioned at least one of:  
 1) projecting towards the perimeter of the planar backing member, and  
 2) proximate the perimeter of the planar backing member, and an ornamental encapsulant.  
 
   
   
     11. The radially arranged fiber optic panel of  claim 10 , the planar backing member comprising at least one of:
 a) a flexible material,  
 b) a rigid material,  
 c) an opaque material,  
 d) a translucent material,  
 e) a non-reflective material  
 f) a reflective material,  
 g) a luminescent material, and  
 h) a colored material.  
 
   
   
     12. The radially arranged fiber optic panel of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of fiber optic strands further comprising a surface, wherein the surface has been treated to include deformations. 
   
   
     13. The radially arranged fiber optic panel of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of fiber optic strands further comprising a surface that has been treated to include deformations. 
   
   
     14. The radially arranged fiber optic panel of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of fiber optic strands are arranged in a plurality of radially arranged layers. 
   
   
     15. The radially arranged fiber optic panel of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of fiber optic strands are arranged in a plurality of radially arranged layers. 
   
   
     16. A radially arranged fiber optic panel, the panel comprising:
 a planar backing member, the planar backing member comprising a planar surface and a perimeter,  
 at least one centralized illumination receiving position positioned at least one of proximate the perimeter and within the perimeter of the planar backing member,  
 at least one centralized illumination receiving position positioned at least one of proximate the perimeter and within the perimeter of the planar backing member,  
 a plurality of fiber optic strands coupled to at least one side of the planar backing member, wherein each strand comprises an illumination receiving port and an illumination exiting port,  
 wherein the plurality of fiber optic strands are arranged projecting from the centralized illumination receiving position with the illumination receiving port proximate the centralized illumination receiving position and the illumination exiting port positioned proximate the perimeter of the planar backing member, and  
 wherein the plurality of fiber optic strands are arranged in a plurality of layers, whereby the fiber optic strands positioned proximate the centralized illumination receiving position are layered and reduce in layers as the fiber optic strands fan radially from the centralized illumination receiving position to provide additional area coverage.  
 
   
   
     17. The radially arranged fiber optic panel of  claim 16 , the planar backing member comprising at least one of:
 a) a flexible material,  
 b) a rigid material,  
 c) an opaque material,  
 d) a translucent material,  
 e) a non-reflective material  
 f) a reflective material,  
 g) a luminescent material, and  
 h) a colored material.  
 
   
   
     18. The radially arranged fiber optic panel of  claim 16 , wherein the illumination exiting port of the fiber optic strands is positioned proximate the perimeter of the planar backing member, and the perimeter of the radially arranged fiber optic panel is of a non-rectangular shape. 
   
   
     19. The radially arranged fiber optic panel of  claim 16 , the radially arranged fiber optic panel further comprising an illumination source. 
   
   
     20. The radially arranged fiber optic panel of  claim 19 , the radially arranged fiber optic panel further comprising an ornamental encapsulant. 
   
   
     21. The radially arranged fiber optic panel of  claim 1 , wherein the illumination exiting port of the fiber optic strands is positioned proximate the perimeter of the planar backing member, and the perimeter of the radially arranged fiber optic panel is of a non-rectangular shape. 
   
   
     22. The radially arranged fiber optic panel of  claim 10 , the radially arranged fiber optic panel further comprising at least one illumination source, wherein the illumination receiving ports of the fiber optic strands are positioned at least partially circumferentially about the illumination source. 
   
   
     23. The radially arranged fiber optic panel of  claim 10 , the radially arranged fiber optic panel further comprising at least one illumination source, the at least one illumination source illuminating at least two colors. 
   
   
     24. The radially arranged fiber optic panel of  claim 10 , the radially arranged fiber optic panel further comprising a light diffuser located proximate the at least one centralized illumination receiving position. 
   
   
     25. The radially arranged fiber optic panel of  claim 10 , wherein the illumination exiting port of the fiber optic strands is positioned proximate the perimeter of the planar backing member, and the perimeter of the radially arranged fiber optic panel is of a non-rectangular shape. 
   
   
     26. The radially arranged fiber optic panel of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of fiber optic strands further comprising a surface, wherein the surface has been treated to include deformations. 
   
   
     27. The radially arranged fiber optic panel of  claim 16 , the radially arranged fiber optic panel further comprising at least one illumination source, the at least one illumination source illuminating at least two colors. 
   
   
     28. The radially arranged fiber optic panel of  claim 16 , the radially arranged fiber optic panel further comprising a light diffuser located proximate the at least one centralized illumination receiving position.